amazement。　〃We　are　republicans；　more　than　that；　we　are　sans…
  culottes！　and　shall　we　not　keep　our　word？　ought　we　not　to　be　better
  than　the　cursed　aristocrats；　that　never　kept　their　word　to　the
  people？　How　can　you　disgrace　us　and　yourself　so　much？　Ask　our　noble
  friend　and　brother　Simon；　whether　he　is　of　the　opinion　that　a　free
  man　ought　not　to　keep　his　word；　even　if　he　has　only　given　it　to　a
  woman　in　prison。〃
  〃I　am　of　that　opinion；〃　said　Simon；　with　dignity。　〃I　swore　to　myself
  that　the　king　should　lose　his　head；　and　I　kept　my　word。　I　promised
  the　she…wolf　that　she　should　be　hanged；　and　I　hope　to　keep　this
  promise　too。　If　I　keep　my　word　to　her　in　what　is　bad；　I　must　do　so
  also　in　what　is　good。　If　a　republican　promises　any　thing；　he　must
  hold　to　it。〃
  〃Right；　Simon；　you　are　a　noble　and　wise　man。　It　remains　fixed；　then；
  that　the　queen　shall　smoke；　but　if　we　have　our　joke　out；　we　shall
  not　smoke　any　more。〃
  〃I　will　put　up　a　placard　on　the　door：　'Smoking　forbidden　in　the
  anteroom　of　the　she…wolf。'〃
  〃Good；〃　cried　Toulan；　〃that　is　worthy　of　you。〃
  〃Let　us　go　up　now；〃　said　Simon；　〃the　two　other　sentries　are　up…
  stairs　already；　they　will　wonder　that　you　come　so　late；　but　I　do
  like　to　chat　with　you。　Come　on；　let's　go　up。　I'll　stay　there　to　see
  the　joke。　But　wait　a　moment；　there　is　something　new。　It　has　been
  proposed　that　not　so　many　guards　are　needed　to　watch　the　Capets；　and
  that　it　has　the　appearance　as　if　the　government　was　afraid　of　these
  howling　women　and　this　little　monkey；　whom　the　crazy　royalists　call
  King　Louis　XVII。　It　is　very　likely　that　they　will　reduce　the　guard
  to　two。〃
  〃Very　good；〃　said　Toulan；　approvingly。〃What's　the　use　of　wearying
  out　so　many　other　men　and　condemning　them　to　such　idleness？　We
  cannot　be　making　jokes　all　the　time；　and　then　again　it　is　not
  pleasant　always　looking　on　these　people's　long　faces。〃
  〃So　only　two　guards；〃　said　Lepitre；　〃but　that　seems　to　me　rather　too
  few；　for　what　if　the　widow　should　succeed　in　winning　them　over　and
  getting　them　to　help　her　escape？〃
  〃Impossible！〃　cried　Simon；　〃she'll　never　come　around　me；　and　as　long
  as　I　have　my　eyes　open；　she　and　her　brood　will　never　get　away。　No
  one　can　come　down　the　staircase　without　my　hearing　and　seeing　it；
  for　you　know　my　rooms　are　near　the　stairs；　and　the　door　is　always
  open　and　I　am　always　there；　and　then　there　is　the　turnkey　Ricard；
  who　watches　the　door　that　leads　to　the　court　like　a　cerberus。　Then
  there　are　three　sentries　at　the　doors　leading　from　the　inner　court
  to　the　outer　one；　and　the　four　sentries　at　the　doors　leading　from
  the　outer　court　to　the　street。　No；　no；　my　friends；　if　the　she…wolf
  wants　to　escape　she　must　use　magic；　and　make　wings　grow　on　her
  shoulders　and　fly　away。〃
  〃That　is　good；　I　like　that；〃　said　Toulan；　springing　up　the
  staircase。
  〃And　that　settles　my　doubts　too；〃　said　Lepitre。　〃I　should　think　two
  official　guards　would　suffice；　for　it　is　plain　that　she　cannot
  escape。　Simon　is　on　the　look…out；　and　it　is　plain　that　the　she…wolf
  cannot　transform　herself　into　an　eagle。〃
  〃Well　said；〃　laughed　Simon；　〃here　we　are　before　the　door；　let's　go
  in　and　have　our　fun。〃
  He　dashed　the　door　open　noisily；　and　went　into　the　room　with　the　two
  men。　Two　officials　were　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　room　at　the
  table；　and　were　actively　engaged　playing　cards。　Through　the　open
  door　you　could　look　into　the　sitting…room　of　the　Capet　family。　The
  queen　was　sitting　on　the　divan　behind　the　round　table；　clothed　in
  her　sad　suit　of　mourning；　with　a　black　cap　upon　her　gray　locks。
  She　was　busy　in　dictating　an　exercise　to　the　dauphin　from　a　book
  which　she　held　in　her　hand。　The　prince；　also　clad　in　black　and　with
  a　broad　crape　about　his　arm；　sat　upon　a　chair　by　her　side。　His　whole
  attention　was　directed　to　his　work；　and　he　was　visibly　making　an
  effort　to　write　as　well　as　possible；　for　a　glowing　red　suffused　hia
  cheeks。
  On　the　other　side　of　the　queen　sat　Madame　Elizabeth；　near　her　the
  Princess　Maria　Theresa；　both　busy　in　preparing　some　clothing　for　the
  queen。
  No　one　of　the　group　appeared　to　notice　the　loud　opening　of　the　door；
  no　one　observed　the　entering　forms；　or　cast　even　a　momentary　glance
  at　them。
  But　Toulan　was　not　contented　with　this；　he　demanded　nothing　less
  than　that　the　she…wolf　should　look　at　him。　He　hurried　through　the
  anteroom　with　a　threatening　tread；　advanced　to　the　door　of　the
  sitting…room；　and　stopped　upon　the　threshold；　making　such　a　deep　and
  ceremonious　bow；　and　swinging　his　arm　so　comically；　that　Simon　was
  compelled　to　laugh　aloud。
  〃Madame；〃　cried　Toulan；　〃I　have　the　inexpressible　honor　of　greeting
  your　grace。〃
  〃He　is　a　brick；　a　perfect　brick；〃　roared　Simon。
  Lepitre　had　gone　to　the　window；　and　turned　his　back　upon　the　room；
  he　was　perhaps　too　deficient　in　spirit　to　join　in　the　joke。　Nobody
  paid　any　attention　to　him；　nobody　saw　him　take　a　little　packet　from
  his　coat…pocket；　and　slide　it　slowly　and　carefully　behind　the　wooden
  box　that　stood　beneath　the　window。
  〃Madame；〃　cried　Toulan；　in　a　still　louder　voice；　〃I　fear　your　grace
  has　not　heard　my　salutation。〃
  The　queen　slowly　raised　her　eyes；　and　turned　them　to　the　man　who　was
  still　standing　upon　the　threshold。　〃I　heard　it；〃　she　said；　coldly；
  〃go　on　writing；　my　son。〃　And　she　went　on　in　the　sentence　that　she
  had　just　then　begun　to　dictate。
  〃I　am　so　happy　at　being　heard　by　Madame　Veto　that　I　shall　have　to
  celebrate　it　by　a　little　bonfire！〃said　Toulan；　taking　a　cigar　from
  his　breast…pocket。　〃You　see；　my　friends；　that　I　am　a　very　good
  courtier；　though　I　have　the　honor　to　be　a　sans…culottes。　In　the
  presence　of　handsome　ladies　I　only　smoke　cigars！　Hallo！　bring　me　a
  little　fire。〃
  One　of　the　officials　silently　passed　him　his　long　pipe。　Toulan
  lighted　his　cigar；　placed　himself　at　the　threshold；　and　blew　great
  clouds　of　smoke　into　the　chamber。
  The　ladies　still　continued　to　sit　quietly　without　paying　any
  attention　to　Toulan。　The　queen　dictated；　and　the　dauphin　wrote。　The
  queen　only　interrupted　herself　in　this　occupation；　when　she　had　to
  cough　and　wipe　her　eyes；　which　the　smoke　filled　with　tears。
  Toulan　had　followed　every　one　of　her　movements　with　an　amused　look。
  〃Madame　does　not　appear　to　take　any　pleasure　in　my　bonfire！〃　he
  said。　〃Will　madame　not　smoke？〃
  The　queen　made　no　reply；　but　quietly　went　on　with　her　dictation。
  〃Madame；〃　cried　Toulan；　laughing　loudly；　〃I　should　like　to　smoke　a
  pipe　of　peace　with　you；　as　our　brown　brethren　in　happy；　free　America
  domadame；　I　beg　you　to　do　me　the　honor　to　smoke　a　pipe　of　peace
  with　me。〃
  A　flash　lightened　in　the　eyes　which　the　queen　now　directed　to
  Toulan。　〃You　are　a　shameless　fellow！〃　she　said。
  〃Hear　that；〃　said　Simon；　〃that　is　what　I　call　abusing　you。〃
  〃On　the　contrary；　it　delights　me；〃　cried　Toulan；　〃for　you　will
  confess　that　it　would　be　jolly　if　she　should　smoke　now；　and　I　tell
  you；　she　will　smoke。〃
  He　advanced　some　paces　into　the　room；　and　made　his　deep　bow　again。
  〃He　understands　manners　as　well　as　if　he　had　been　a　rascally
  courtier　himself；〃　said　Simon；　laughing。　〃It　is　a　splendid　joke。〃
  The　two　princesses　had　arisen　at　the　entrance　of　Toulan；　and　laid
  their　sewing…work　aside。　A　ball　of　white　cotton　had　fallen　to　the
  ground　from　the　lap　of　one　of　them；　and　rolled　through　the　room
  toward　Toulan。
  He　picked　it　up；　and　bowed　to　the　princesses。　〃May　I　view　this
  little　globe；〃　he　said；　〃as　a　reminder　of　the　favor　of　the　loveliest
  ladies　of　France？　Oh；　yes；　I　see　in　your　roguish　smile　that　I　may；
  and　I　thank　you；〃　said　Toulan；　pressing　the　round　ball　to　his　lips；
  and　then　putting　it　into　his　breast…pocket。
  〃He　plays　as　well　as　the　fellows　do　in　the　theatre；〃　said　Simon；
  laughing。
  〃Go　into　our　sleeping…room；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　turning　to　the
  princesses。　〃It　is　enough　for　me　to　have　to　bear　these　indignities
  go；　my　son；　accompany　your　aunt。〃
  The　dauphin　stood　up；　pressed　a　kiss　upon　the　hand　of　his　mother；
  and　followed　the　two　princesses；　who　had　gone　into　the　adjoining
  apartment。
  〃Dear　aunt；〃　whispered　the　dauphin；　〃is　this　bad　man　the　good　friend
  who〃
  〃Hush！〃　whispered　Madame　Elizabeth；　〃hush！　Madame　Tison　is
  listening。〃
  And；　in　fact；　at　the　glass…door；　which　led　from　the　sleeping…room　to
  the　little　corridor；　stood　Madame　Tison；　looking　with　sharp；
  searching　glances　into　the　chamber。
  After　the　princesses　had　left　the　room；　Toulan　approached　still
  closer　to　the　queen；　and　taking　a　cigar　from　his　breast…pocket；　he
  handed　it　to　the　queen。　〃Take　it；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃and　do　me　the
  honor　of　smoking　a　duet　with　me！〃
  〃I　do　not　smoke；　sir；〃　replied　the　queen；　coolly　and　calmly。　〃I　beg
  you　to　go　into　the　anteroom。　The　Convention　has　not；　so　far　as　I
  understand；　ordered　the　officers　of　the　guard　to　tarry　in　my
  sitting…room。〃
  〃The　Convention　has　not　ordered　it；　nor　has　it　forbidden　it。　So　I
  remain！〃
  He　took　a　chair；　seated　himself　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and
  rolled　out　great　clouds　of　smoke；　which　filled　Simon　with
  unspeakable　delight　when　they　compelled　Marie　Antoinette　to　cough
  violently。
  〃Madame　Capet；　you　would　not　be　so　sensitive　to　smoke　if　you　would
  only　join　me。　I　beg　you；　therefore；　to　take　this　cigar。〃
  The　queen　repeated　calmly；　〃I　do　not　smoke。